Long lasting friendships can be a problem as we are living in a time where women lead busier lives. Friendships are challenged by work schedules, after school activities, household responsibilities, and a host of other needs we attempt to squeeze into every twenty four hour stretch of a day.
It is no wonder that so many women, young and old, are battling loneliness.
Girls’ Club, written by Sarah, Sally & Joy Clarkson is a book written by the three women in which they address the ever growing challenges of loneliness and the importance of establishing friendships. As Sally writes in the introduction:
“My deep respect for the capacity and scope women hold has come over a lifetime of developing friendships with women who have called me to my best self. Friendships with women of great hearts, engaged minds, and devoted, vibrant souls give me energy to fuel my life and to respond in kind to their initiation. When we connect ourselves, walking arm in arm, we find models of inspiration in the stories of others that spur us on to live into our own potential.”
The book is written with three voices, as they each share their thoughts and experiences. The blend of personalities and stories brings warmth, encouragement, and a unique invitation to see the goodness and power friendship with others can bring.
Some of the topics they cover include commitment, woundedness, faithfulness, hospitality, and love. A few of my favorite quotes from these topics are:
- Woundedness: “I feel even closer to my friends and my girls who have walked with me through my weaknesses and inconsistencies and still love and accept me. When we extend this kind of grace, forgiveness, and loyalty, we can be part of God’s beautiful, redemptive work as He uses these friendships to heal one another’s wounds” (page 60).
- Faithfulness: “The best and deepest friendships are formed through work accomplished together, serving others side by side. There is something special about sharing history, walking through life with one another, enduring the storms of life, and emerging as golden friends. This is how we build camaraderie – the deep friendship we all long for but so seldom find in this isolationist world” (page 109).
- Hospitality: “Hospitality has the same basic root and meaning as the words hospital, hospice, and hotel. At its best, hospitality speaks of a person who hosts and serves others, with their well-being, health, and welfare at heart and the meeting of their needs planned out. Hospitality comes from an attitude that says, “I am willing to give of myself to meet your needs so that you feel supported, loved, cared for, served, and inspired” (page 163).
- Love: “The gift of friendship is really the gift of love. Henri Nouwen, writes that the greatest gift we can give each other is the gift of our belovedness: knowing that deep down, our identity is as someone who is loved by God and then is called to share that generous love with others” (page 202).
The book is a lovingly written challenge to extend our lives to those around us in deep, meaningful, and loving ways. For as we do so, others will know they are loved, and we will come to find long lasting friendships.
*Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions are all my own. This post contains an affiliate link at no extra cost to you but will help with the expense of this website.
Today I am joining … Porch Stories and Let’s Have Coffee and Woman to Woman and Recharge Wednesday .
I was just working on my review for this one last night as I listened to the SOTU address! And I think my favorite thing about the book was the three voices that came through. It really felt like a visit, and now we’re part of the Girl’s Club too!
Friendship is very important. Friendships with women can be life-changing. I’m all about extending my life to others especially women in deep, meaningful and loving ways, however, cultivating friendships with women has been a constant challenge for me. My repeated prayer is that God would raise up strong women of God who receive all. Who realize comparing ourselves to others is a waste of time because we are all unique and none of is better than the other. We are all precious in his sight. We need to be secure in HIM in order to have strong friendships. There are some behaviors Christian women and women overall need to do away with if we are going to have deep, meaningful and loving friendships.
I find that as I get older, my friendships with the women I have loved for years grow even sweeter. We have so many shared tears and laughs. We have held each others’ children and now grandchildren, celebrated birthdays and anniversaries, been there for each other through crises, and traveled through life together. This book sounds like a must-read.
This sounds like a great book. It takes time and energy to develop and grow our friendships. But they are so necessary for the health of our soul. We are all busy, but let’s not neglect our friendships. Or we will be the poorer for it.
This topic hits home hard for me right now. Thank you for the review. laurensparks.net
I just love Sally Clarkson! Thank you for sharing! ♥
This books sounds wonderful, Joanne! Friendships, especially deep ones, are such a gift. Thank you for sharing about this!